Integrative medicine during the intensive phase of chemotherapy in pediatric oncology in Germany: a randomized controlled trial with 5-year follow up.

Background: Integrative medicine is used frequently alongside chemotherapy treatment in pediatric oncology, but little is known about the influence on toxicity. This German, multi-center, open-label, randomized controlled trial assessed the effects of complementary treatments on toxicity related to intensive-phase chemotherapy treatment in children aged 1-18 with the primary outcome of the toxicity sum score. Secondary outcomes were chemotherapy-related toxicity, overall and event-free survival after 5 years in study patients.

Heparanase wildtype is associated with a reduced incidence of transplant-associated systemic vasculopathies.

Some of the early complications of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) concerning the small vessels can be summarized as transplant-associated systemic vasculopathies (TASV). One enzyme known to play a major role in inflammation, tissue remodeling, and repair processes as well as tumor metastasis is heparanase (HPSE). HPSE genetic variants have recently been associated with significant influence on the risk of developing certain TASV such as a sinusoidal obstruction syndrome.

Pregnancy denial: a complex symptom with life context as a trigger? A prospective case-control study.

Objective: To identify risk factors for a woman to experience pregnancy denial.

Design, Setting And Population: A French multicentric prospective case-control study with 71 mother-infant dyads having experienced a pregnancy denial versus a control group of 71 dyads.

Methods: Data were collected in the week after delivery using an observational leaflet and two psychiatric scales (MINI and QSSP).

[Maculopathy in sickle cell disease].

Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a hereditary hemoglobinopathy, which leads to microcirculatory disturbances of various organ systems through recurrent vaso-occlusive episodes, with a possibly fatal outcome. Sickle cell retinopathy (SCR) is the best described ocular manifestation of SCD. Irrespective of the presence of peripheral SCR, sickle cell maculopathy (SCM) can occur early in the course of the disease.

Immunostimulation by OX40 Ligand Transgenic Ewing Sarcoma Cells.

Interleukin-2 (IL-2) transgenic Ewing sarcoma cells can induce tumor specific T and NK cell responses and reduce tumor growth in vivo and in vitro. Nevertheless, the efficiency of this stimulation is not high enough to inhibit tumor growth completely. In addition to recognition of the cognate antigen, optimal T-cell stimulation requires signals from so-called co-stimulatory molecules.

[Supporting parenting in families with multiple problems].

Supporting parenthood in families with multiple problems is a major early prevention challenge. Indeed, the factors of vulnerability, especially if they mount up, expose the child to an increased risk of a somatic pathology, developmental delays, learning difficulties and maltreatment. In order to limit the impact of these vulnerabilities on the health of mothers and infants, it is essential to act early, to adapt the working framework and to collaborate within a network.

Indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase in an immunotherapy model for Ewing sarcoma.

Background/aim: Interleukin-2 (IL2) transgenic Ewing sarcoma cells reduce tumor growth in vivo and in vitro. In the present study we analyzed the expression of immune suppressive indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) in this model.

Materials And Methods: Expression of IDO was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction.

CD137 stimulation and p38 MAPK inhibition improve reactivity in an in vitro model of glioblastoma immunotherapy.

Dendritic cell vaccination has become an interesting option for cancer immunotherapy. Tumor-lysate-pulsed dendritic cells (DC) can prime naïve T cells and induce the regression of established tumors including gliomas as shown in various animal models. Despite hopeful results even in clinical studies, the outcome for many patients is still unsatisfying.

[Handiness and acceptability of the new Abak bottle in chronically treated patients. A cross-sectional, retrospective and multicentre study].

Background: Difficulty of use of eyedrops is a factor associated with poor patient compliance that reduces treatment efficacy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the handiness and global acceptability of the new Abak timolol bottle (multidose preservative-free eyedrops) in comparison with that of other administration systems (classical multidose eyedrops or single-doses) in patients treated for glaucoma or ocular hypertension.

Methods: Cross-sectional, retrospective and multicentre study involving 41 ophthalmologists in France.

[Psychiatric symptoms of a paraneoplastic anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis: A case report].

Introduction: We describe the case of a young woman affected by a benign ovarian teratoma with paraneoplastic encephalitis. Several cases have already been reported, but it is the first article that focuses on details of the psychiatric symptoms of this disorder.

Background: Paraneoplastic encephalitis usually begins with a prodromal phase, followed first by prominent psychiatric symptoms or, less frequently, short-term memory loss, seizure, catatonia-like symptoms, dyskynesias and, secondly, by autonomic instability and central hypoventilation requiring intensive care.

Gene expression profiles of Hodgkin's lymphoma cell lines with different sensitivity to cytotoxic drugs.

Objective: The prognosis of patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) has been significantly improved as a result of combination treatment including chemotherapy. However, some patients are refractory to chemotherapy. Therefore, identification of new targets might be useful for development of alternative treatment strategies.

Haploidentical stem cell transplantation in patients with pediatric solid tumors: preliminary results of a pilot study and analysis of graft versus tumor effects.

Pediatric patients with relapsed metastatic tumors have a poor prognosis and new treatment strategies are warranted. We present preliminary results of a pilot study, evaluating the feasibility and toxicity of transplantation of haploidentical T and B cell depleted grafts with high numbers of NK cells. 6 patients with relapsed metastatic neuroblastomas (n = 4), rhabdomyosarcoma (n = 1) or Ewing's sarcoma (n = 1) after previous autologous transplantation received CD3/CD19 depleted grafts from mismatched family donors with a median number of 16 x 10 (6)/kg stem cells, 167 x 10 (6)/kg Natural Killer cells and only 5.

[Eyelid swelling caused by a meningioma in an 8-year-old girl. Case report and review of the diagnosis and the treatment for meningiomas in childhood and adolescence].

Background: Tumours of the eyelid and orbit with different biological behaviour and localisation may cause eyelid swelling. Orbital meningiomas are rare, particularly in childhood and adolescence.

Case Report: We report the case of an 8-year-old girl with frontobasal meningioma, who was admitted to the hospital because of a one-sided upper eyelid swelling.

Possible association of non-binding of HSP70 to HLA-DRB1 peptide sequences and protection from rheumatoid arthritis.

The beta-chains of HLA-DR molecules associated with susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) share a common amino acid sequence in their third hypervariable region at position 70-74. This shared epitope could either contribute to preferential binding of a given disease-associated peptide, be involved in disease-induction by molecular mimicry or, by binding to heat shock proteins, influence antigen presentation. It is known that the Escherichia coli M(r)70,000 heat shock protein DnaK can bind peptides from the shared epitope.

Objectively measured sperm motility and sperm head morphometry in boars (Sus scrofa): relation to fertility and seminal plasma growth factors.

This study was conducted to investigate the relationships between results of computer-assisted semen analysis (spermatozoal motility and sperm head morphometry) and fertility of boars. In addition, concentrations of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I and IGF-II in seminal plasma were determined. The nonreturn rate (NRR) and the number of live-born piglets were compatible with the requirements of artificial insemination for all boars included in this study.

Altered growth of mice divergently selected for body weight is associated with complex changes in the growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor system.

Mice investigated in this study were generated by selecting a sub-population of the NMRI out-bred stock (C), for high (H) or low (L) 8-week body weight. After 58 generations of selection, 8-week body weights of the sub-populations were markedly different if compared to controls. To investigate endocrine changes causing the altered growth performance in the different lines of mice, we analysed several components of the growth hormone (GH)/insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system.

Overexpression of insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-2 in transgenic mice reduces postnatal body weight gain.

Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-binding protein-2 (IGFBP-2) has been shown to inhibit IGF-dependent cell proliferation in a number of in vitro studies. However, no in vivo model of IGFBP-2 overexpression has been established so far. Therefore, we have generated transgenic mice, in which expression of a mouse IGFBP-2 complementary DNA is controlled by the cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter.

Insulin-like growth factors and IGF-binding proteins in bovine seminal plasma.

Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) is an important factor for germ cell development and maturation of spermatozoa. Actions of IGFs are modulated by IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs) that may, depending on their concentration and site of expression, inhibit or enhance effects of IGF-I. We characterized IGFs and IGFBPs in seminal plasma from bulls routinely used for artificial insemination (AI) and from bulls producing poor-quality semen (low mass and individual motility of spermatozoa).

Activation-dependent expression of the insulin-like growth factor binding protein-2 in human lymphocytes.

The expression of the insulin-like growth factor binding protein-2 (IGFBP-2) was assayed in mononuclear cells originating from different organs of the immune system. All mononuclear cells studied did express IGFBP-2, but the expression level was found to be dependent on the cell type and origin of the cell. T cells showed a higher expression of IGFBP-2 mRNA than did B cells, and CD34+ stem cells expressed IGFBP-2 mRNA at a high level.

Elevated levels of insulin-like growth factor (IGF) binding protein-3 in rheumatoid arthritis synovial fluid inhibit stimulation by IGF-I of articular chondrocyte proteoglycan synthesis.

The objective of this study was to quantify insulin-like growth factor (IGF) binding proteins (IGFBPs) in the synovial fluid (SF) and plasma of patients with rheumatic diseases and to study the role of these proteins in the regulation of cartilage proteoglycan (PG) synthesis. Immunological determination of IGFBP-2, IGFBP-3, IGF-I, IGF-II, interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) was undertaken in the SF and plasma of 115 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA; n = 53), osteoarthritis (OA; n = 44) and other rheumatic disorders. We also determined the effects of SF on bovine cartilage PG synthesis in culture.

Remission of a lymphoproliferative disorder occurring after second BMT from an unrelated donor in a 5-year-old boy with severe aplastic anemia.

A 5-year-old boy with severe aplastic anemia failed to respond to cyclosporine (CYA), prednisolone and antilymphocyte globulin (ALG). No suitable sibling marrow donor was available, but an HLA-matched unrelated donor was identified. The patient was conditioned with cyclophosphamide (CY), 50 mg/kg/day for 4 days, total nodal irradiation (8 Gy), and ALG 30 mg/kg/day for 3 days.

Consequences of postnatally elevated insulin-like growth factor-II in transgenic mice: endocrine changes and effects on body and organ growth.

Insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II) is an important regulator of embryonic growth and differentiation, but its function in postnatal life is unclear. To address this point, we generated transgenic mice harboring fusion genes in which a human IGF-II complementary DNA is placed under the transcriptional control of the rat phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase promoter. Transgene-specific messenger RNA was detected in liver, kidney, and several parts of the gut.

Increased insulin-like growth factor-II tissue concentrations during compensatory kidney growth in infantile rats.

Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I and IGF-II serum and kidney tissue concentrations were measured in compensatory kidney growth in infantile and adult rats. We hypothesized that the known switch from IGF-II in fetal life to IGF-I in adult life may be responsible for the different modes of compensatory kidney growth, which are mainly characterized by hyperplasia in infantile rats and hypertrophy in adult rats. While IGF-I serum concentrations increased with age in infantile rats, kidney tissue concentrations of IGF-I showed a similar increase in both age groups after uninephrectomy.